Unemployment in Bulgaria drops to 7.1%, again below EU average

By Clive Leviev-Sawyer /
09/01/2017 /
Comments Off on Unemployment in Bulgaria drops to 7.1%, again below EU average

Unemployment in Bulgaria was 7.1 per cent in November 2016, down from 7.9 per cent a year earlier, continuing the trend of being below the average for the European Union.

This is according to seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate figures released by EU statistics agency Eurostat on January 9.

Eurostat estimated that in November 2016, about 264 000 Bulgarians were unemployed, down from about 229 000 in November 2015.

The new figures show Bulgaria as having the 13th-lowest unemployment among the 28 member states of the EU.

In Bulgaria, youth unemployment increased from 20.1 per cent in November 2015 to 22 per cent in November 2016, although the former figure represented about 35 000 under-25s and the latter figure about 33 000.

Eurostat said that in November 2016, unemployment across the EU was 8.3 per cent, down from nine per cent in November 2015, and was the lowest rate recorded in the EU since February 2009.

In the 19-member euro zone, of which Bulgaria is not a member, unemployment was 9.8 per cent in November 2016, down from 10.5 per cent in November 2015, and was at its lowest rate since July 2009.

Eurostat estimates that 20.429 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 15.898 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in November 2016.

Compared with October 2016, the number of people unemployed decreased by 41 000 in the EU28 and by 15 000 in the euro area.

Compared with November 2015, unemployment fell by 1.552 million in the EU28 and by 972 000 in the euro area.

Among EU countries, the lowest unemployment rates in November 2016 were recorded in the Czech Republic (3.7 per cent) and Germany (4.1 per cent).

Unemployment was highest in Greece (23.1 per cent in September 2016) and Spain (19.2 per cent).

Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate in November 2016 fell in 24 EU countries, while it increased in Estonia (from 6.3 per cent to 7.4 per cent between October 2015 and October 2016), Cyprus (from 13.2 per cent to 14.2 per cent), Denmark (from 6.1 per cent to 6.5 per cent) and Italy (from 11.5 per cent to 11.9 per cent). The largest decrease was registered in Croatia (from 15.7 per cent to 11.4 per cent).

In November 2016, 4.280 million young people (under 25) were unemployed in the EU28, of whom 3.007 million were in the euro area.

Compared with November 2015, youth unemployment decreased by 137 000 in the EU28 and by 42 000 in the euro area.

In November 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 18.8 per cent in the EU28 and 21.2 per cent in the euro area, compared with 19.5 per cent and 21.8 per cent respectively in November 2015.

In November 2016, the lowest rate of youth unemployment was in Germany (6.7 per cent), while the highest were recorded in Greece (46.1 per cent in September 2016), Spain (44.4 per cent) and Italy (39.4 per cent), Eurostat said./IBNA